Memoir on My Mind
Have you ever written or considered writing a memoir?
It's my favorite genre, and a memoir can be as short as
a letter, essay, or blog post or as long as a book.
Memoir comes from the French word mémoire which means ''reminiscence'' or "memory."
A memoir draws on specific and factual memories in a person's life.
Written from the author's perspective, a memoir centers on
an important period in his or her life and the lessons learned from it.
A memoir differs from an autobiography which encompasses a person's whole life.
During the holiday season, memoir is often on my mind.
That's because I'm usually spending Thanksgiving and/or Christmas with family.
It's a happy, boisterous, and occasionally, volatile time,
when we talk, compete, and share memorable stories from our past.
It's quite amazing how different a story can be depending on who's telling it!
Familiar traditions, food and drink, sights, and activities can trigger a flood of memories.
It's a perfect time to collect material for a memoir!
A Christmas Past
My mother is pregnant with Barbie and holding my sister Donnie.
I'm in the middle and my brother Roy is sitting on Santa's lap.
Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Christmastime 1955
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
There are likely as many reasons for writing a memoir as there are memoirists.
Some common reasons are to preserve family stories, to leave a legacy,
to understand one's self, to heal from trauma,
to record a historical period or a cultural tradition,
or to share a life lesson that may help or inspire others.
You don't have to be famous or to have done something extraordinary to write memoir.
A memoir can remind a reader of the things we have in common.
By sharing a relatable story, you can comfort and encourage
someone who may be going through a similar experience.
Your life-gleamed wisdom is valuable and can provide insight and encouragement to others.
Why not give writing memoir a go?
You could start with something as simple as
how your competitive brother always has to be right,
or how your great grandmother baked bread in her wood stove,
or why you'll never forget that first love you turned away from.
Get the idea? Try it and have fun. You never know where it might lead you.
An Oldie, but a Favorite, Picture of My Brother Roy and Me
Breckenridge, Colorado, USA
July 21, 2013
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Here are three powerful memoirs I highly recommend:
The Diary of a Young Girl by Anne Frank: This is a book of the diary kept by Anne Frank while she was in hiding for two years with her family during the Nazi occupation of the Netherlands.
On Writing: A Memoir of the Craft by Stephen King: This memoir focuses on the best-selling author's experiences as a writer and his advice to aspiring writers.
At Home in the World by Joyce Maynard:
An important quality of memoir is honesty, and Joyce Maynard is brutally and unflinchingly honest as she tells the story of her brief affair with the reclusive author J.D. Salinger. She was 18; he was 53.
A Treasure Trove of Material
One Brother Roy, and Two Brothers-in Law, Peter and Martin
Smith's Cove, Nova Scotia, Canada
August 3, 2024
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Wednesday, December 4th is Insecure Writer's Support Day.
In addition to Alex J. Cavanaugh, our awesome co-hosts are
Ronel, Deniz, Pat Garcia, Olga Godim, and Cathrina Constantine.
Stop by their posts and thank them for hosting.
Our December 4th optional question is: Do you write cliffhangers at the end of your stories? Are they a turn-off to you as a writer and/or a reader?
I don't know about you, but I love cliffhangers!
I'm curious to see what other members think of them.
I hope that you are enjoying the holiday season!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue.
20 comments:
Most families can give one a thousand crazy stories to tell.
So true, Alex. Sometimes when I'm flying above a city, I look down at all the houses and think of all the stories they contain, every story unique. It's mind boggling. Enjoy your week!
One of my authors wrote a memoir of sorts, as the part from the cat's POV was totally made up!
How funny, Diane! I'm sure cats have some interesting views on their humans. They are far more calculating than dogs! Have a good one!
I tried to write a memoir once and an editor told me it wasn't working it was a bit boring so I rewrote it as women's fiction inspired by a true story.
I remember that photo from a post a few years back. I love your stories about those days, Louise. I could read them all day long.
I've read many memoirs, but haven't thought about writing one. Many people have told me I should. Not sure I want to air some of the crazy things that have happened in my life!
Often I will write a chapter of a memoir in my head but then decide it really doesn't need to be told out loud. Still a fun exercise.
When my daughter signed me up with StoryWorth a couple of years ago, I was dubious at best. Whatever would I write about? Turned out I had more to say than I thought - without giving away the farm and a couple little secrets in the barn ;-) Happy holidays!
Hi Fundy Blue - I think the most important thing is to write down one's life story, or notes, in a format that suits the family ... if the Memoir aspect takes hold, then fine, but otherwise ... write it all down. Cheers Hilary
I kinda let it all hang out on the blog lol but I guess doing one that doesn't rhyme might be a little less confusing.
The holidays always make me feel nostalgic too! My grandma kept a journal pretty consistently & my siblings & I love to go back and read the stories from her life. It was always so interesting so see what she was up to as a teenager haha. I have been so busy with work at my cabinet painting company that I haven't written in my journal for a long time. This post is inspiring me to try & be better at it. Hopefully my grandkids can enjoy reading my stories one day haha! Thanks for sharing!!!
Well done, Leigh!
Thanks for your encouragement, Joylene! A memoir will emerge!
I totally get what you're saying, Sherry! It is daunting!
You hit on one of the good things about writing memoir, Gail. Writing for just yourself can provide many benefits that don't need to be shared.
Happy Holidays, Diedre! I think everyone has a story worth hearing, and I'm not surprised that you had more to say than you thought.
I agree, Hilary! Write it down, even if it never becomes a memoir. Our stories are important!
You definitely do let it all hang out, Pat! btw, I began reading "imagine Hatt: Season One" last night. I'm going to love it! I was so excited to see Orlin and Cassie Your animals are vividly real to me because of all you shared about them on your blog. And my tired brain needs a good dose of your wild and fun imagination right now!
Thank you so much, Jackie! I'm sure your grandkids would enjoy reading your stories. I enjoy reading the writing of various people that has come down to me from the past. Cousins of mine have also been sharing memoirs they've writing. I am a big believer in preserving our stories!
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